No. 2 Ohio State got rocked by USC in a brutal 30-18 upset out in Los Angeles. The Buckeyes never even sniffed a lead against the Trojans, who held them to a single touchdown the entire game. Talk about a gut punch to a team sitting at number two nationally.
Trojans Came Out Swinging, Buckeyes Couldn’t Answer
From the jump, USC was on fire. Jayden Maiava hit Trent Mosley for a monstrous 69-yard touchdown pass on literally the game’s second play, setting the tone and putting the Trojans up 7-0. They didn’t slow down, adding another touchdown to stretch their lead to 14-3 by the end of the first quarter. Ohio State tried to respond, driving into USC territory three separate times in the first half. But they just couldn’t punch it in, settling for field goals instead. That left them trailing 20-9 at halftime, already a deep hole. King Miller then piled on in the third quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run for USC, pushing the Trojans to a commanding 27-9 lead.
Fahey Steps In, Buckeyes Search for Answers
This was the first game without starting quarterback Julian Sayin, who was injured against Indiana on October 17. Freshman Luke Fahey got the call, completing 21 of 38 passes for 260 yards and one touchdown. Jeremiah Smith did snag the Buckeyes’ only touchdown, a 1-yard pass from Fahey with only 2:12 left, cutting the deficit to 27-18. Smith was a bright spot, grabbing 10 catches for 83 yards and that late score. But it wasn’t enough, not even close. The Trojans added a field goal to seal the 30-18 upset. It’s a tough spot for Fahey to be thrown into, and the offense clearly felt the absence of their starter.
This loss drops Ohio State to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the Big Ten. They’ve got a quick turnaround, hosting Oregon on November 7 at 3:30 p.m. in Columbus. Channel 7 will have the broadcast. This team needs to regroup fast, because a 6-2 record isn’t what anyone expected for the No. 2 squad, and that Big Ten race just got a lot tighter.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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